四分律刪繁補闕行事鈔 2.218

2.218

Second, the three kinds: separate saṃgha, individual begging, and individual invitation. First, explaining separate saṃgha, which refers to monastic rotation. The Pañcavargika-vinaya states: 'Regarding invitations by monastic rotation: ordinary worldlings, noble ones, those who practice meditation, recite scriptures, encourage and assist with communal affairs, and all who have gone forth for liberation, may enter the monastic rotation; the only exception is those of bad conduct. If one says "the senior thera in order," this is included in monastic rotation.' Furthermore, if one does not know how many are considered senior theras: the Buddha said: 'Those who have no one above them are all called senior theras.' If one selects persons based on specific dharmas, such as saying 'meditation masters' and so forth, this is an individual invitation. If one says 'ten meditation masters,' this excludes Dharma teachers and Vinaya masters; because of discriminatory selection, it is not called monastic rotation. In the Daśādhyāya-vinaya and the Upāsakaśīla-sūtra: inviting people by the dharma of an arhat without naming names is still called an individual invitation, which was rebuked by the Buddha, as in the section on rules for obituary invitations. The Sarvāstivāda-vinaya-vibhāṣā states: 'If a donor makes a perpetual invitation to bhikṣus, or sets a day limit, first inviting persons as they please and determining each of them, on the day of the first assembly, if there were initially no individual invitations and everything is unobstructed, it is very good and without fault. If they cannot remain unobstructed, the gaṇḍī should be struck. After the community of monks has assembled, those who were previously individually invited should remain in one place for the time being. An exhorting bhikṣu or the donor should stand in an elevated place and proclaim loudly with a raised voice that those of sixty rains may enter; whether many or few, if even a single person is obtained, it is deemed pure; continuing down to proclaiming for one summer-retreat, as well as śrāmaṇeras and so forth; if there are none at all, it is also deemed pure. If one does not proclaim on the first day, one should proclaim day by day according to the procedure of the first day. Once proclaimed on the first day, whether obstructing or not obstructing, everything is without fault. If these two procedures are not performed, then at the time of eating, if even a single bhikṣu within the boundary is obstructed, all these monks incur the offense of eating in a separate group. Even supposing there are no bhikṣus within the boundary, because of obstructing the food, there is impurity. If it is an invitation for ninety days, or a perpetual invitation, one proclaims as on the first day. When the ninety days of the summer-retreat are completed, if the donor continues the offerings for one month or half a month, the previous procedure of proclamation suffices for purity, and one need not proclaim again. Only regarding monastic rooms and bedding, once the ninety days are completed, one must proclaim day by day; if not, an offense is incurred. If a donor prepares food within the monastic boundary, and the hall is insufficient to accommodate them, it is also permissible to exit in order and eat in a different place. If there are two places within the great boundary, the Mahāsāṃghika-vinaya states: "If food is offered at both places in one day, the upoṣadha hall is without fault; if at the place other than the upoṣadha hall, one does not invite one person from the upoṣadha hall or send one portion of food, this saṃgha commits a pāyattika." If a donor individually invites four persons from the monastic rotation to enter within the monastic upoṣadha boundary to eat, or brings food into the boundary to individually invite bhikṣus, one should invite one person from the monastic rotation at the upoṣadha hall, or send one portion of food; the same applies to two places or three places; one's own place does not need to successively take people and send food. Supposing that having invited a person and sent food, there is another different bhikṣu outside, if one obstructs him and does not give food, one incurs a pāyattika. If it is not so, three or fewer persons eating in different places individually is permissible. If one intended to invite one person among the saṃgha and suddenly forgets and does not invite him, one should make one portion of food in advance, place it at the head of the senior thera, and send it to that monk. If the path or boundary is distant, one takes the food in advance and distributes it in order. If within the village boundary, although there is no monastic boundary, supposing two dānapatis invite four or more people to eat at two places, the gaṇḍī should be struck. They should mutually invite one person and mutually send one portion of food. If another different bhikṣu should enter, even down to one person, if they do not mutually invite and send food, all commit a pāyattika. If one obstructs and does not give food to even one person, one also commits a pāyattika. Supposing one place wishes to act in accordance with the Dharma, one should thoroughly and completely know whether there are bhikṣus in the village; if there is no doubt, it is permissible. Otherwise, one should strike the gaṇḍī; if one does not strike it, knowing that there is one person who has not come to eat, one commits a pāyattika. If one suspects there is one, it is a duṣkṛta. If one has an unsuspicious mind, or if one strikes the gaṇḍī, regardless of whether there are any or not, there is no offense at all. Or, if persons originally arrived by invitation of monastic rotation, and a visiting bhikṣu is obstructed and not permitted to enter, it immediately becomes a separate group. Or, if there was initially an individual invitation, and a visiting bhikṣu arrives, and the bhikṣu instructs that he not be obstructed, it immediately becomes a monastic rotation. If unable to not obstruct, one should at least proclaim for one person to enter, and so forth. The Samantapāsādikā states: "There are four permutations of individual begging: either four persons beg at one time, or they beg separately without knowing about each other; yet having the same host, going at one time to receive food incurs an offense. Second, each going separately, receiving at one time, and eating in separate places (in the Dharmaguptaka Vinaya, this does not commit a pāyattika). Third, each going, each receiving, and each eating—there is no offense. Fourth, or begging separately, going separately, but receiving food at one time incurs an offense." The commentary explains: when persons invited by monastic rotation have arrived at the house of the invitation, if there is a bhikṣu outside the gate who is not permitted to enter within the boundary, it turns into an individual invitation. Supposing later at the time of eating there is no one, one also commits a pāyattika. If the monks outside the gate are separated from the inside of the house by more than sixty-three paces, at the time of eating the outside monks are deemed to form an individual invitation separate group, not a monastic rotation separate group.'